1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally relates to upholstery seams, and more particularly relates to an upholstery seam using a T-member for use in an automotive armrest, seat or interior component wherein at least two pieces of material are joined into a French seam.
2. Description of Related Art
Automotive engineers and designers have long sought to create vehicles having aesthetically pleasing exterior and interior designs. Exterior designs have become increasingly uniform over the years. Hence, the importance of uniqueness and aesthetic appeal in the automotive interior has grown. Attractive upholstered coverings such as interior trim, seats, armrests and steering wheels are the hallmark of the modern, high quality automobile. Ever higher customer quality demands continue to raise the bar for commercial acceptability and aesthetic appeal has become paramount in the sale of high profit margin vehicles. Accordingly, attention has turned to a less traditional element of interior design.
One example of such new focus involves the appearance of seams in upholstered interior components, such as seats, armrests, headrests, instrument panel pads and the like. Many leather and vinyl top layers of automotive interior parts have simulated exterior stitching that is molded integrally therein. This kind of simulated stitching can only have limited visual similarity to functional stitching, since it necessarily has the same color and appearances as the vinyl top layer which is integrally molded. Many current prior art interior surfaces now have a decorative stitching provided by real thread which require visual loops that lay flat on and tensioned against the top layer of the trim part for a desirable appearance and so as not to be pulled out of the trim part during ordinary use of the vehicle. The thread of these prior art seams which form the stitching have relatively thin, tough and incompressible characteristics so as to both properly visually simulate functional stitching and to stand up to wear on the surface of the trim part.
One type of prior art seam that is used on many automotive vehicle interior components, including seats and other interior components, is a French seam that presents a clean appearance for a joint which joins two pieces of material of a seat or interior component together at a secured seam. Many of these prior art French seams are made by applying a foam material to the backside of the leather, vinyl or other types of upholstery by laminating the foam to the back of the upholstery to ensure that the foam is secured to the material. Then one portion of the first material is sewn to a portion of the second material. Next edges are flipped over each other and a seam is placed at a predetermined distance from the joint seam to create a French seam look. The French seam gets the appearance from the foam being compressed on itself creating a hump like appearance adjacent to the seam, thus creating the French seam look that is desired by many automobile manufacturers.
However, the use of the French seam which is aesthetically pleasing to automobile manufacturers generally is not used on armrests and other smaller surfaces due to alignment issues and the appearance of the seams with respect to the armrest that it is being used on. Many of these prior art seams encounter visual difficulties such as an uniform surface and properly aligned seams when connecting the fabric to the armrest frame and over the underlying foam material. Therefore, many manufacturers will completely bypass any seams on the material covering armrests or other small portions of the vehicle interior components. Using one piece will avoid the use of any seams thus reducing the appealability of the interior to the automotive users.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a French seam that can connect two materials and be used on an armrest or other interior component. There also is a need in the art for creation of a French seam that can be applied to any curved surface and any hard surface including hard plastic underlayments or hard foam underlayments thus creating a more aesthetically pleasing seam and a seam that is linearly accurate thus creating a more visually pleasing interior environment for the automotive user. There also is a need in the art for a way to produce a French seam for an armrest or like interior component that increases productivity and decreases the cost of manufacturing the materials for such interior components. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for a way to create a French seam that is less complicated and time consuming than those of prior art methodologies that use laminated foam materials or the like to create such a French seam. There also is a need in the art for a methodology of creating a French seam that will create uniform humps along the entire French seam and create a more desirable appearance for the French seam that is easier to use and apply to armrests and other small interior components of a vehicle. Hence, there is a need in the art for an improved French seam that reduces costs, is stronger, creates a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing seam and it is easier to manufacture into automotive interior materials.